Good afternoon! It is raining here in Minnesota, yet the birds are still are chirping, and keeping the finch feeders full is almost a full time job! I wanted to share some thoughts, ideas, etc… about physical activity (for some reason that sounds less threatening than exercise).
I might have shared it in past posts, I don’t know, but I suffer from extremely low testosterone. Yes, I know I’m a woman and that might sound odd, be we need testosterone too. My levels are so low, that when tested 6 months ago, the test could not find any. My tests read 0, none, nadda, zilch!
Now, you might want to know why this is important, and I want to tell you! Testosterone is what we need to build and maintain muscle and it is also what gives us our sex drive. Well, for this post, I am focusing on the muscle aspect. You see, with my other autoimmune issues (such as fibromyalgia) I need all the help I can get, and I found myself so weak even folding the laundry became a task I had a hard time accomplishing.
I am told by my doctor that the normal range for testosterone in women is 30 to 95 (ng/dL) and that it is usually higher in post menopausal women. I am a woman who went through premature menopause and at 42 am post menopausal–yet my blood tests read 0 (ng/dL) for testosterone. Here is another wonderful catch–the FDA has not approved testosterone for use in women, so in order to supplement with it I have to buy this special made cream that is way out of my price range with zero insurance coverage. Yup–not gonna happen.
So, I looked up how to boost my testosterone naturally, and found that DHEA can help, so I take that, also sex and physical activity can increase it. Ok–remember that testosterone is responsible for sex drive??? So does this mean I hand my husband a note and say “it’s a perscription–engage in sexual activity 3-4 times per week or as needed to increase T-levels–and I need you to fill it”? HAHA–well, he would probably be okay with that, but you get my point.
The idea of increasing my T-levels with physical activity also seems sort of like I’m going in circles. I mean, I have gotten so weak that folding laundry makes my arms ache, but working out could increase in T-levels so I get stronger if only I wasn’t too weak to work out!! UGH!!!
So what do you do?
Like anything–Do what you can. Doing nothing will result in nothing! So, I pick up my little 5 lb dumbbells and I lift some weights. I walk, even short walks, when I can. I start parking further away in the parking lot when I go somewhere so I have to walk to just a little further. I dance when I can, even if I can’t finish the whole song.
My initial goal was to not get weaker–but now I am getting stronger. My energy is increasing with activity and healthier eating. Life is getting better. I started making changes to healthier eating months ago, but in the last few weeks have really cracked down–it has been 8 days since I was drowning in brain fog. It has been 9 days since I lay on the couch hurting so bad it took everything in me to move.
I know I’m not the only one struggling. Heck, I know I am so blessed because compared to some, I have no struggles at all! Still, I hope you are motivated to do what you can. Pass up those potato chips and grab some veggies. Instead of opening that pop, grab a water. And when everything in you is telling you stay down–get up!
Alee and Me 